Bucky
by WannabeDragronTamer88
Summary: Charlie's left the Avengers...and now she's bored. But with Plan INTERFERE her top priority, she won't be bored for long! And in between rehabilitating a hot soldier turned weapon of mass destruction, accidentally hiring on other lost causes to help her with The Cause and MOVING, Charlie may find the one thing she's been looking for: a place to belong. PART 5 OF GLITCH SERIES.
1. Found

**AHHH! I'm excited! **

**So...You're going to see a lot of people you know, from all different shows, but mostly from the Marvel Universe. **

**This is the story of How Charlie keeps herself busy between Adjusting with the Avengers and Deducing the Sleuth, and continues right up to the final story in the the Glitch series, CTH. **

**I'm SUPER excited about this story...It's very much about Bucky; these first few chapters (hence the title) but it really goes into what exactly Charlie is up to, what her end goal is. **

**It's weird...but I love it! I hope you kinda like it too! **

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them! **

* * *

Ward stole him from cryo. He brought him back to the warehouse Charlie had purchased recently, (grisly history, cheap price tag) nicknamed The House, where Ward demanded Charlie not be present when Ward unfroze him. Charlie, angry and nervous and frustrated all at once, argued. Ward and Charlie finally came to a compromise that suited and irritated them both in turn. Charlie wouldn't be in the room when he first regained consciousness, but she would watch.

It was hard, very hard, to watch.

* * *

He woke up restrained, because Ward had said that they just didn't know how he would react, and he opened his eyes confused but silent. Being restrained was probably nothing new for him, but Charlie didn't like it. That first full day he sat frozen, but wired, waiting for his orders, his next mission. It was like he wasn't even human; unable to move or function until he was told to. Ward dealt solely with him those first few days, went in three times a day to feed him. After the first 18 hours, Ward removed the restraints, allowing him movement. But he didn't move. He sat, unchanging, except for when Ward would enter the room. Then he would sit upright, his eyes lighting up, as if this time, finally, this time, he would get his orders. But then Ward would leave with a small smile, and he would wilt, confused. By the third day, He had become fully antsy. At the lunch meal, though, he finally spoke.

"Orders?"

His voice was deep, but hoarse, as if he hadn't used it in a long time, which he hadn't. His inflection inferred that there WERE orders, of course there were, there had to be. Why else would he be out of cryo? Ward simply shook his head.

"No orders."

The look on His face…it hurt Charlie, down to her very core.

That evening, Ward entered with the meal and sat it down in front of him, and finally, he moved.

He threw the tray of food into the wall with a glare, almost in challenge. But Ward simply shrugged and turned to leave the room. Before Ward could leave though, He spoke.

"Hail Hydra?"

The voice was firm, equal parts confident and confused, and Ward shook his head. "I'm not Hydra. Not anymore. And neither are you."

There was a pause, one that lasted only a few moments, and then Ward was slammed into the wall, a hand at his throat, deep blue eyes glaring into his soul.

Before he could speak, Charlie had burst into the room, a file in her hands. Ward glowered, but Charlie only had eyes for Him.

"You said you wanted orders? Fine." Charlie lifted the file so He could see them. "I have them here. Put my agent down now."

He responded immediately, dropping Ward to the ground and moving to seat himself on his cot.

Charlie moved to stand in front of him. "I need you to find someone."

"He was a soldier, a good one, when he went missing during a mission. It's very vital that we find him, because he's very important, and we're afraid that he's fallen into the hands of our enemies, people who would seek to use him and then break him, force him to become nothing but a mindless machine, and we'd like to stop that, and reverse that situation, if at all possible. But we can't seem to find him." Charlie huffed. "I'm beginning to believe that you are the only one who can."

Charlie handed the file over, and He accepted it eagerly. Finally, something he understood…orders. A mission.

Charlie motioned to Ward to precede her out of the room, and paused at the doorway, turning to watch Him open the file and frown in confusion, picking up the picture she'd placed in the file.

"Your mission is to find that man. His name…. is James Buchanan Barnes."

Charlie shut the door behind her, and turned to Ward, who glared down at her disapprovingly.

"What was that?" He demanded.

"He needed a trigger." Charlie answered, moving back to the window where she could watch him, flipping through the files confused.

* * *

It wasn't an hour later, after reading and rereading every scrap of information in the file she'd given him, that his face suddenly contorted in pain and his hands went to grip his head as he began to scream.

Ward looked impressed. "Maybe he did need a trigger. It looks like something's going on in that brain of his, at least."

"It looks painful." Charlie whispered.

"It definitely is." Ward agreed. He turned to look at her, worried. This woman had blackmailed him into switching sides; a feat he'd thought would never happen. And yet somehow; she'd got through to him. Well...mostly she threatened him, but it had worked. He never felt like he'd switched one dictator for another, as much as he considered her his boss; she was never demeaning. She preferred them to be equal; despite everything he'd done (or had almost done.) And for that, he owed her a debt he knew he'd never be able to repay. But that didn't mean he would ever stop trying.

"You don't have to be here for this, though." He pressed lightly. "You can leave. I'll stay here with him. The records indicate he should be in pain for at least three days before his brain stops forcing information and memories into remembrance."

Charlie furrowed a brow. "I have a better idea."

* * *

Three days later, He woke up, not at the warehouse, strapped to a cot, but in a bed. There were no restraints. The walls were pale blue, with random paintings of nature scattered about, and He was dressed in a loose T shirt and sweatpants. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know how he got there. He didn't know much of anything…..

But he knew his name.

"James…"

* * *

**WARD! and Bucky... I love them so much! **

**Alright! So this is wehre we begin...with a weapon attempting to be rehabilitated and Charlie as a reluctant leader/boss. **

**The next few chapters focus mainly on the beginning of Bucky's rehab, but the rest of the characters will by stopping by soon! **

**Be excited! **

**Reviews/Follows/Favorites are the best!**

**I Love you all, dear readers. **

**~CLC~**


	2. Awake

**Chapter two, just for you!**

**EEK! I'm excited. **

**Alright. Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

Bucky sat up slowly, disoriented. The name….James. Saying it had been like putting on a comfortable jacket. The name, when he'd spoken it, had felt safe, familiar. But those feelings were fading. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he surveyed his surroundings.

He was in a bedroom, on a bed. The room was furnished with a dresser, a nightstand, a desk, and a bookshelf that was stuffed to the brim with novels. The bedspread was thick, a navy color that Bucky found oddly soothing. He threw the covers off of him and slid his feet to the floor.

He was wearing black sweatpants, a white t-shirt. They didn't belong to him. He'd never seen them before. He was sure of it, even without having to wrack his memory. Nonetheless, the prodded his brain, just in case. That was a mistake. With a groan of surprise, his hand flew to hold the side of his head as bright colors exploded behind his tightly shut eyelids. His brain felt overloaded, and images swept in front of him, so quickly he could barely tell what they were. Colors were vivid, nearly blinding, a few of them repeating almost obnoxiously, so much red, blue, and white.

All of a sudden a warm hand touched his forearm, and he jerked away from the touch, blinking his eyes open rapidly to categorize the current threat.

It was the woman; his new commanding officer? She'd given him...orders. A file. He had a mission. That memory, as it came to him, it didn't hurt. With the memory was a soothing heat that calmed the pain behind his eyes. The file; he'd looked it over…had he completed his mission? Succeeded? His eyes scanned the room for any potential threats he might've missed before, and then his eyes flew back to the woman with the warm brown eyes. Had he failed? Did she come to punish him? Was the pain he'd felt before part of his punishment?

He sat upright. He would prove to his new boss that he could take any punishment she deemed worthy.

The woman tilted her head. "Are you okay?" she asked, voice low.

He frowned. What did she want him to say?

The woman huffed, a small smile on her face. "I'm not going to hurt you. Do you remember who I am?"

He nodded slowly. Of course he remembered. Why wouldn't he remember?

Then he paused, realization dawning.

He never remembered. In his existence, that was his one constant. The missions changed, the targets, his guards, the location, the scenery, they all changed. Every time he opened his eyes it was different. The only thing that remained the same for him was that he could never remember the specifics. Names, places, faces…it was always new. But this woman….she was familiar. He remembered her.

The woman nodded slowly. "Good. Are you hungry?"

He frowned. Was he supposed to be?"

The woman laughed softly at his expression. "C'mon. I'll get you something to eat."

* * *

It was an apartment. Her apartment? The place was clean, but lived in, comfortable with pale blues and dark navys, cream decorations scattered about. The woman, puttered about in her kitchen, motioning him to a seat at her breakfast bar. His mind whirled as he knew the names for the appliances in her kitchen, the colors she'd used to decorate her living space, but he could not even comprehend his position or his current purpose.

He slid onto the bar stool, allowing himself this opportunity to observe.

She was a young woman, he cataloged. Early twenties, short of height, but full of energy. She was slim, and comfortable in her own skin. She wore dark sweatpants of some kind, a light tank top, and different colored socks.

The socks intrigued him. They were bright and mismatched, and he couldn't look away. Not until she began to speak.

"Confused?"

He looked up to realize she stood in front of him, a half smile on her face, two plates in her hand.

He said nothing. She nodded.

"Any questions?"

He hesitated. He needed to know…but what if this was a trick? What if he was not supposed to speak?

She waited patiently, so he risked it.

"Did I…" His voice was hoarse. Unused. He cleared his throat. "Did I complete my mission?"

The woman looked at the plate she'd set down in front of her. He looked down at the other plate, resting in front of him. Was she disappointed? Nervous? Emotions were yet another thing he could not comprehend.

"Your mission is a lengthy one. It will take much time, and preparation." She answered finally.

He frowned. "Is that why I am here?" So many words. He didn't want to speak. He'd never been allowed to. But the woman brightened every time he opened his mouth. Was speaking necessary to the mission?

He missed his mask, the one that gave him no options, just forced him into silence.

She shrugged. "Yes. You will be required to live as I do, in order to complete your mission. Thusly you will stay here for a while, in order to better complete your mission in the long run."

"Training?" he clarified.

The woman beamed. "Exactly! Training!"

He looked down at the plate she'd put in front of him. "And is….this, part of my mission?"

The woman nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes it is. So…eat up!"

He lifted the silver utensil and placed some of the 'breakfast' the woman had made, moving it to his mouth. He opened his mouth, placed the food inside, closed his mouth, and began to chew. He swallowed, and without conscious thought, his hand moved to get more. The woman smiled, and he let it happen. This was for the mission.

When he'd cleared his plate, the woman sighed.

"I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Charlotte. Most people call me Charlie. Well," the woman hedged, "those who know my name is Charlotte call me Charlie. Er, yeah. So anyway. What's your name?"

His….name? Did he have a name? Was he supposed to have one? He frowned, a faint word coming to the forefront. That wasn't his name though…he didn't have a name. But the woman was looking at him so expectantly, and it was the only name coming to memory, so he opened his mouth, and,

"James?"

He groaned immediately after saying it, his hands coming to clutch his hair tightly, his eyes screwed shut, the pain intense. Worse than any torture he'd ever felt. The heat; not the soothing heat from the woman, but a fiery heat blazed through him, igniting him and sending him to a catatonic state. The images returned, fiercer, as if before they'd wanted to be seen but something was blocking them. Now, somehow, they were free, moving and swirling and forcing his attention and it was painful, not just the heat, but these images, these…could they possibly be memories? They tore into him, and he felt more than pain.

Pain was the only thing he'd felt for so long he didn't know what to do.

Much deeper than the pain, he felt…emotions.

Fear, pain, anxiety, excitement, happiness, and…love?

It was too much, and everything went dark.

* * *

When he woke up the next time, the first thing he noticed was the woman sleeping in a chair beside his bed. She jerked awake as soon as his eyes fell on her, sitting upright, a hand flying up to check her hair.

For some reason, He found this amusing.

She snorted lightly. "Sorry. Are you Ok?"

He frowned. Was he ok? He didn't feel ok. He felt turmoil. He felt angst. More importantly…he FELT.

"There is no mission." It wasn't a question, and the young woman made a face in response. They were both well aware that no mission existed for him. Not anymore. Not ever again. He felt strangely content at that knowledge, but also…worried. If he had no mission, what was he to do? That thought fled him as he eyed the woman at his side.

"You're not my new C.O. are you?"

She grimaced. "No."

He frowned. "Who is?" But as spoke, he felt a surge of anger in his chest.

She gazed seriously at him, and He froze. He didn't move, didn't blink, didn't even barely breathe. He knew in his soul that what she was about to say was very important.

"You don't have a C.O. You don't need one. The only person in charge of what you do, of who you are….is you."

He had been right. The woman's simple statement had thrown him. It was a belief he'd not heard….in a long time. But her words had felt so right to him. Her silent presence was comforting to him. He looked at her and her small smile made him forget his pain….but it didn't make him forget everything.

"Tell me the truth." He demanded, a little more harshly than he'd originally planned. "Tell me everything."

It wasn't a request, it was a demand.

To his surprise, she simply inclined her head….and did as he asked.

She told him everything.

* * *

Nearly four hours later…..for it had taken that long to get out his entire, sordid tale, his head was spinning, but he felt….whole.

Broken and battered, cracked around the edges, worn and marked up….but whole.

The woman's name was Charlie. She'd told him before, but she'd had to remind him. She was younger than him, (much younger than him, if he really thought about it, though he had so much to THINK about, that wasn't a high priority.) and much more innocent. But she'd saved him. He couldn't remember much; as she'd spoken some of his memories had solidified, enough to corroborate what she told him, but most of them had yet to return.

She told him that would change, the longer he spent out of cryo.

Christ.

He'd been in cryo.

His story made no sense to him and the missing pieces were too much for him….he sat stunned in the armchair of a young woman who'd rescued him from unimaginable tortures, and he could barely speak, stunned at the knowledge running through his head.

Charlie sat down next to him, curled her feet under her as she settled herself onto her couch. Then she turned her dark eyes toward him.

And she smiled.

That smile warmed him from the inside out, and he relaxed under her happy stare.

"Let me tell you a story….."

* * *

Charlie was worried. Ecstatic, but worried. This man that she'd saved; his recovery would be long and arduous, and she was more than up to the task….but she was worried. What if she made it worse? What if she scarred him for life? (Even more so than he already was?) She'd told him his story; and he'd frozen. So she'd done the only thing she could think of.

She'd shared her story.

And not just a piece of it either. All of it. Her childhood, The marvel franchise, Loki, freshmen year, glitching, her time at home, her time in a "movie" her time in the army, the last time she spoke to her family.

She desperately wanted him to understand that he wasn't the only one that was broken, adrift in a world not meant for him. She wanted him to understand that she understood.

He'd listened attentively.

When she'd finished, he frowned.

Then he rose….and moved back to the room he'd first woken up in.

Charlie grimaced. Had she messed up? She stood quickly, her mouth opening without conscious decision.

"Soon…your memories will return full force. You'll know who you were, and can decide who you want to be now."

Bucky….When Charlie looked at the man in front of her; she didn't see the Bucky she'd seen on screen. She could only refer to him as James, at least for the moment. James scoffed.

"Remembering is not the problem. I already remember."

Charlie sat back as the door shut behind him. He didn't seem about to bolt. Charlie grimaced as he knew he had nowhere to go; and for some reason he seemed to believe her when she said he was safe here for the time being. But he needed to be alone. And she could understand that.

So she left him be. But his words…they haunted her.

"I remember."

* * *

**I am making all of this up as I go. I have no idea how long it would've taken Bucky to remember; IF he would remember; but I figured some sort of trigger might...and in CA:WS after seeing Steve (AKA TRIGGER) he kind of started to remember...so I'm going with the flow. **

**I do understand that since she has Bucky everything changes; CA:WS (obviously), how Hydra is revealed, (IF they're revealed), but I've got a plan for that, Stan, and I just really wanted Bucky to be saved...because I love him. **

**So yeah! Next two chapters up Wednesday, probably! **

**Reviews/Follows/Favorites are the best! **

**SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL,**

**~CLC~**


	3. Memories

**Chapter three for y'all!**

**...Yaaay.**

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

"I remember."

Charlie looked up to make eye contact with bright blue eyes. She nodded slowly, showing that she'd heard, but afraid to say more, lest she scare him away. It had been nearly a week ago when he'd first said the same thing, and he'd locked himself in his room immediately after. He'd finally come out for breakfast two days later, but didn't seem apt to speak. Charlie had just curled up in her loveseat with a book when James moved to stand a few feet away from her and said once more,

"I remember."

Charlie moved so she faced James head on, putting her book down and giving him her sole attention. His jaw was tense, but he seemed determined to speak of it, and so Charlie sent him an encouraging smile. He took a deep breathe, and continued.

"I remember the war, and being captured. I remember the experiments, and the, trials they put me through." His eyes were unseeing, as if by speaking of his memories, he was making them real, reliving them. He very well could've been, so Charlie remained supportively silent. "I remember being rescued and coming back, but coming back less. Less than I was before. A shadow of myself, and nothing I seemed to do helped that. Except for Steve. I remember Steve too."

Charlie's breath caught when blue eyes met her gaze and were clear, focused.

"I remember other things too. My childhood. My mom. I had a sister." Bucky looked away, jaw clenching. "You said it's been a while. Did, is she?"

"She passed." Charlie spoke lowly, hating to break the news. "But she had two kids. They're both still around, I can look them up, if you'd like?"

He shook his head. "No. that's fine." Charlie made a mental note to look them up anyway.

A bitter sound escaped his throat, and Charlie belatedly realized it was a laugh. "Everyone else is probably dead as well, then."

"Not everyone." Charlie argued. "You're not alone."

"I'm not then?" James glared, his eyes glacial. "I may remember some, but I still don't remember how this happened," James jerked his left arm forward, and he turned his glare to the metal. "I don't know what I've been doing the past what, 70 years? It's all vague, choppy, and I hate it." James turned half away, as if he wanted to pace, but he didn't seem inclined to move any further from Charlie. "How is anyone else going to understand what's it's like to wake up in a world that looks like your own, but it's so obviously not?"

"You'd be surprised," Charlie interrupted his rant wryly.

He raised a brow mockingly, though his eyes had softened. He was probably thinking back to when she'd shared her tale.

Charlie shrugged. "I may not know what it means to wake up 70 years later, with little to no memory in a body you don't remember, but the whole, alienated, no one understands? It all looks vaguely familiar but this isn't my home what happened? I get that."

James scrutinized Charlie.

Then he looked away.

Charlie sat back slightly, surprised. She just went head to head with an ex-assassin, and not just an assassin, but THE assassin, the Winter Soldier, and he blinked first.

Weird.

James began to speak again, his voice low.

"I can't really explain…for the most part I don't even understand what I'm feeling, let alone why, and then I get so angry, for no reason, and, I just," He lifted both hands to run through his hair, but he flinched when his metal arm made contact with his skull.

He dropped both hands uselessly in his lap.

"I want to remember. But what if I don't like it when I do?"

Charlie moved then, till she was kneeling in front of him, grabbing his left arm, the metal one, and wrapping both hands around it. He looked startled, and confused.

"Your past is not your fault. What you did is not on you; you are not to blame. You were stolen from the ice; taken apart, and remade. What you'll remember are tasks they forced on you; when they saw you as nothing more than a weapon."

James's mouth twitched. "Isn't that what you did?"

Charlie paused, and her brow furrowed. "What?"

"Didn't you steal me too?"

"Huh." Charlie sat back on my heels, her hands still clutching his, and smirked. "I guess I did." The smirk fled as she turned serious once more. "But I'm not them. I want to help you."

"I know that." He agreed.

Charlie smiled then, a fleeting, almost bitter thing. He was so earnest. "You'll forget. You'll fight me. You'll get angry, have outbursts, and I won't know what to do with you. You'll have nightmares, only to wake up and realize that your nightmares were actually memories. It's going to be a tough journey back." James lips tightened, but he didn't look away. Charlie grinned, squeezing his hands. "But as long as you're in, so am I. I'm not giving up on you."

James eyes narrowed. "Back to what?"

Charlie tilted her head in confusion.

"A long hard road back to what?" He clarified.

Charlie thought for a moment. Then she grimaced. "Back to…"

She turned his hands over, both of them, then folded them together. He winced slightly, but let her do as she wished. She covered his folded hands with her own. "Back to human."

James stared down at their interlocked hands, then he scoffed. "I reckon I can handle that. I'm not a fan of easy anyway." He smirked. "I'm a soldier. Or I was."

Charlie smiled softly at James when he looked back up, and corrected him. "You still are, Sarge."

Then she realized maybe she wasn't speaking to just him, anymore.

Once a soldier…..

* * *

After that conversation, James had done the unthinkable; he'd begun to share. Whatever he shared, Charlie made sure to reciprocate in kind, in order to keep each other on equal footing. James shared anything and everything that came to mind; As James's memories returned of his childhood, Charlie reminisced on what it was like to grow up an army brat.

When James got to meeting Steve, Charlie found that James had trouble saying his name. Trouble meaning, he refused to. He referred to Steve only as He, or Him, after the inital. Charlie knew that if James couldn't even say his name yet, no way would he be ready to see Steve again. So she waited, letting him grow comfortable with memory Steve before she would bring up the real Steve.

* * *

"It was my mom and sister and I, just the three of us growing up. I was the man of the house, so from an early age I learned how to take care of people. I was surprisingly good at it. Back then, it was my sister while my mom was too grief stricken from my father's death to care for her, and then when she got better and took over, I was kind of listless for a while. I didn't know what to do with myself.

Then I met Him.

When I was forced into the war and forced to leave Him behind, my fellow soldiers became the objects of my care. Then….He found me. When I fell from that train I was too mindless to care about anything, and then I was brainwashed to care about nothing…but completing my mission. The hardest part about waking up," James ran a hand through his hair, and Charlie reminded herself to get him a haircut, "about being me again, is that…who do I care about now?"

James thought about that….then shot Charlie a look she couldn't decipher. He needed to take care of someone? She'd figure something out for that. Charlie thought back to her own childhood with a soft smile.

"I was a spoiled brat as a kid. My parents were both in the army, so I never really saw them together all that often, but someone was always around. If not my parents, then my big brother who was five years older than me, or my uncle Rick. Uncle Rick was a marine," James snorted and Charlie smiled, "Yeah I know, but he'd been injured in the line of duty before I was born, and he'd lived with us since i was a baby. He was the only who taught me to read, ride my bike, shoot a gun. He died when I was 11. At that point my parents decided to come home for good, though they stayed in the army and got positions in D.C. they were great parents. It's been a while since I've seen them."

* * *

The next time James shared the two were sitting on opposite sides of Charlie's couch, Charlie with a stack of papers in front of her and James with the remote held uselessly in one hand. Why were there so many buttons? When James started to speak, Charlie put her files on the coffee table and turned to face James with bright eyes.

"It was first grade. He was new, the tiniest primary schooler I'd ever seen. My sister, four years his junior, was bigger than him. I didn't pay much attention to him right away, why would I? But then I noticed he was being bullied, and instead of backing down, like most individuals his size would do, he stood firm. He impressed me. So one day I helped him fight the bullies off. The rest, as you could say, is history. Our friendship began in a way that it would continue. At least, until I was shipped off."

"My best friend, disregarding my older brother, his name is Ryan. We met in sixth grade. There was no big event resulting in the creation of our friendship, we just all of a sudden were a duo instead of two separate solo acts, if you will. All through school, it seemed we were connected at the hip. He was there for me when my uncle died, when my life went crazy, he was there through it all. We graduated together, worked together at points, and he supported me through all of my career choices. I haven't seen him in a while, either."

"You miss him?" James asked, and Charlie nodded.

"Yeah, I do."

James placed his right hand on her shoulder in empathy, and Charlie shot him a smile.

* * *

They were in the kitchen; in the middle of making cookies, with Charlie placing the dough on the pan and James scooping the piles for her, when he next spoke of his past.

"I never wanted to fight."

"What do you mean?"

"I was drafted into the army. I didn't want to go. Steve needed me at home, to take care of him. The only fights I wanted to fight were ones with him by my side, and all of a sudden, the government, the country took away my choice. I hated them for that."

James' voice went deep and raspy with anger, and Charlie winced sympathetically. "Did you try to get out of it?" she asked softly.

James snorted. "Of course I did. My recorded reason wasn't substantial enough, and they rejected my stay. So I had to go and pretend that I wanted to go, that I wanted to fight, all the while knowing being a soldier was the last thing on my mind and it was all Steve wanted. It was torture." James smirked when Charlie winced.

"Maybe not the best phrase." Charlie mentioned delicately.

James shrugged. "It all means the same to me, nowadays." He admitted freely.

Charlie winced again. "That's what I'm afraid of."

A moment passed, then Charlie placed the filled plan in the oven and turned to face James, arms crossed and face soft.

"All I ever wanted to do was fight."

James shot her a surprised look. Charlie shrugged. "I had two parents who joined the army and a marine uncle. My brother wanted nothing to do with any of it. So the legacy, if you will, fell to me."

James raised a brow. "You make it sound like you had no choice."

Charlie shrugged. "At first, I didn't feel like I did. But as I got older, and seriously started considering my future, I realized it was something I really wanted to do. I was always running around the neighborhood, saving cats in trees and birds with broken wings and bullied kids. Why not save the country while I was at it?"

"What group?" James asked interested.

Charlie grimaced. "This group was founded after the howling commandos disbanded. It kind of took their place actually. They're called army rangers. Of course, it was a men-only group. Too dangerous for women, you know." James smirked.

"But they took you?"

Charlie laughed. "You bet they did. I was the first female they accepted, and I had to prove myself. I did, though, I earned the respect of my fellow officers, and when they shipped me off, it was the happiest day of my life. But my father was NOT happy."

"He didn't want you to go?" James inferred.

Charlie shrugged. "His favorite argument was that he fought so I wouldn't have to. He just wanted me safe. And I get that, I really do. But I wanted to fight."

"And so you did."

Charlie smiled, and James returned with a smirk. "Yes, I did."

* * *

Their conversations took a turn for the darker with James' memories, and Charlie did her best to be understanding, accommodating.

"He was huge."

"Who?"

"I remember being delirious; at that point they'd injected me with drug after drug and while nothing seemed to be working to their satisfaction, it was successfully scrambling my brain. Then all of a sudden he was there, leaning over me and freeing my restraints, larger than life and in the silliest goddamn American flag thing that if I could've, I would've laughed. But all I could do at that point was babble."

"Then I got to see him in action, and as out of it as I was…" James smiled softly. "He was…spectacular. He was a hero; a soldier. He'd always had that spirit in him, you have no idea how many times I'd had to drag him away from a fight; almost always guys bigger than him, almost always outnumbered, but always for a good cause." James chuckled. "He never did like bullies. But then, it was like his body had finally caught up to his spirit, and he could do everything he'd ever wanted….as much as I don't want to admit to being a damsel in distress…he saved me. So many times I'd admit to having his back, protecting him, and all of a sudden the tables were turned and it was super confusing for a while. Then we were back at base and I just…"let's hear it for captain America." James spoke a bit wistfully. "You should've seen the look on his face. He was so surprised. It was interesting because he was always a big part of my life; he was always huge to me, it didn't matter whether or not I was looking down at him or not. It was just that, after the serum, everyone else could see it too."

"He's always been this big personality to me." Charlie began.

"Who?" James asked slowly.

"I never knew him as a small person, he was always larger than life. More so when I turned fourteen. I can't imagine him small, the way you can."

James frowned. "Who?"

Charlie grimaced, pausing her memory to stare frankly at James. "You and I aren't the only ones who shouldn't be here."

James eyes narrowed, then widened as he put the pieces together.

"Steve."

Charlie nodded, and James fell into a kitchen chair with a shocked look. "How?"

Charlie settled across from him and told him Steve's tale.

At the end of it; James looked like he would cry, but he did something else instead.

He laughed.

Charlie smiled, despite herself.

"Figures." He chuckled. "70 years later and I still can't get rid of him. Does he know I'm still kicking?"

Charlie shook her head. "Not that I'm aware. Shield has been notified that there are traitors in their midst; but they don't know much else at this point. They'll find out eventually. They'll get ahold of Hydra's file, and then Steve will know.

James winced slightly at Hydra, but more so at Steve's name.

"Are you telling me I should tell him myself before he finds out by other means?" He guessed.

Charlie shrugged. "No. I think you should do what you feel, whatever that is."

James thought about that. Then he shook his head. "I'm…I can't."

Charlie nodded. "Okay. But when you're ready…." James grinned lightly.

"You'll be the first to know." He promised.

Charlie grinned.

* * *

**I freakin' love them so much. **

**So much bonding and memories and deep looks into Buck as a person. **

**He will eventually get ahold of others...but not right yet. He's still getting fixed. **

**Yaaay!**

**Reviews/Follows/Favorites are so great! I love them!**

**but more...I love YOU**

**~CLC~**


	4. Questions

**Chapter four!**

**A lot of name dropping at the end of the chapter...yaay!**

**Let's do this!**

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

If Charlie had been asked, she would've catalogued her first three weeks with James, the last three weeks of the year, ironically enough, as The Recovery. It would take much longer than three weeks for a full recovery, of course, but those three weeks he improved by leaps and bounds. The first three days were The Transition….James getting used to being James once more. The next week and a half she would've titled Memory Lane, for during those days was when James shared his memory's and she in turn would share hers. Christmas passed uneventfully, both of them lost in their own misery; James missing his past and Charlie missing her family. The next day though began the last week of the year; of which Charlie would ruefully call Interrogation Time. Because all during that week, James had asked questions; about anything and everything. His rescue, her past, his past, the current world, what he'd missed, and more. Charlie had patiently answered every question that had come to mind.

"How did you find me?"

"Why?"

Is there anyone left?

How did HE survive? (HE being Steve)

What has HE been up to?

Is HE still afraid of Gnomes?

What do you do?

"Where did you come from?"

"What do you mean glitch?"

"Do you miss your family?"

"Is it hard?"

"What Now?"

He seemed most interested though; that last week, in Charlie's work; in her Plan. And so reluctantly, ruefully, she'd told him….everything.

* * *

"I have a…list." Charlie couldn't help it…she blushed.

James leaned forward, eyes bright, but he said nothing.

"Of…well, things I want to do." She grinned. "Getting to you was number 2 on that list." James smiled. "Number one was get ahold of London, and number three was to find an angel." James furrowed his brow at that, then nodded.

"What else do you have on your list?" He asked.

Charlie handed over the list so he could read it for himself.

"Some of them I've already begun working on, others I can't begin until I speak to the right people or raise the funds, and some are completed. All of them are kind of crazy….but everything regarding me is crazy, so…"

James examined all the bullet points; a school for at-risk youth, (hunter's kids and those who've come in contact with the supernatural included,) a Hunter's program; where hunter's could get cases and then get paid for taking cases, all of this on the up and up, a medical center that catered to "out of the norm" injuries (so pretty much a no-questions asked one,) a science institute that focused on many things; (cures for illness, artificial limb improvements, (James felt something in his chest flutter at that one,) genetic mutations and how to reverse the hulk, an industry that focused on technological advancements, and investments in self-owned businesses such as Diners, Bars, Bookstores, Airfields, autoshops, and more.

James took so long to examine her list that Charlie began to fidget. "I know they're weird goals…"

James looked up, a warm genuine smile on his face. "It's brilliant."

Charlie flushed again. "Thanks."

* * *

Bucky was fascinated with Lottie's work.

He knew her name was charlotte….but one night he'd had nightmares, and he'd called for her, but in his panic he'd shortened her name, and he liked it….so since that night she'd been Lottie to him. In his head, anyway.

She was so young, but so clever, and with everything she knew; she had a great advantage to help. Even better? She wanted to use it. And Bucky, who'd begun to think of what it was he was going to do with his second chance at life, desperately wanted to be a part of her grand plans. And they were grand, but exciting, and for her? Very plausible. But as their conversation took on a less serious edge, he was reminded of a more pressing question.

"By the way, what was with the weird noises last night?"

Charlie tilted her head. Bucky, for he'd gotten used to his nickname once more, though Charlie still liked to called him James, (at least in her head,) watched her intently. Would she answer his question?

Charlie scrambled up to look out the window. "Fireworks."

Bucky knew what that meant. He frowned. "Fourth of July?" He guessed. But Charlie shook her head.

"New Years." She answered. She smiled.

"It's January?" Bucky moved to look at the calendar.

"Almost. It's New Years Eve. At midnight tonight it will be January. A new year." Charlie stared out the window, an odd look on her face.

"A fresh start."

Bucky rubbed his neck. "I could do with a fresh start."

Charlie shot Bucky a smile. "yeah, so could I." Then she grinned. "I have an idea."

Bucky raised his brows in expectation.

"Let's celebrate."

* * *

That was how Bucky found himself covered in flour, because according to Charlie cake was necessary for celebrations. She blared music, loud happy music, and Charlie and Bucky stood in the kitchen, cupcakes made, cake in progress, pizza ordered and on it's way, and Bucky smiling. Charlie couldn't get enough of Bucky's smile. Even if it was a half smile…it was much better than the small bitter thing from three weeks ago.

That was what Ward walked into when he knocked on the door, Skye and Ian with him.

"Are you having a party?" Ward demanded with a grin.

"Without us?" Ian looked insulted.

Charlie grimaced. "Yes. Go away." But she didn't move to escort them out.

It was a test. Bucky had not yet been around others besides Charlie.

He stiffened when the three new adults entered the apartment, but he did not flee or attack.

"Hi." Ian chirped brightly. "I'm Ian, this is Skye, and Ward. We live in the apartment building, we're friends of Charlie's. Is it alright if we join you?"

Bucky wasn't sure. He didn't know if he was ready to be around…people. But they were Charlie's friends…and he trusted Charlie. So he shrugged.

Ian beamed. "Wonderful! Charlie, you still have Cards against Humanity?"

Charlie smirked and Bucky snorted. "I do."

"We will go play a few round while you finish up the food. Deal?"

Charlie sent Ian a grateful nod. "Deal."

Charlie and Bucky went back to finishing up the cake, and Charlie sent Bucky a look.

"they don't have to stay. We can kick them out." Charlie spoke softly.

Bucky thought about it then shook his head. "We're not the only ones that need to celebrate a fresh start." Charlie beamed, and Bucky graced her with his half smile.

"Well now it's a party."

* * *

Others showed up to join the party. They came randomly; with anxious expressions or overly cheerful grins, and Charlie let them all in with a smile. They greeted Bucky perfunctially, then left him alone. Bucky preferred it that way. Bucky found it funny that all of the people that showed up, all of Charlie's employees, were somehow damaged in some way. It wasn't obvious to anyone who hadn't been damaged themselves, but Bucky recognized it. Charlie hired people who not only needed the job she offered, but people who needed the healing she aimed to provide. Bucky would bet that Charlie didn't even consciously realizing what she was doing. But as Bucky observed each person show up, he could tell that what she was doing was working. It made him trust her even more.

Once the cake was finished, Charlie and Bucky went to change, and when they appeared in the living room once more, Bucky said nothing, hanging close to Charlies side, only moving when he felt Charlie was too far away.

Charlie was pleasantly surprised to find that James, in his first crowded setting, did quite well. He didn't run off to hide in his room, he instead kept close to her, surveying those who spoke with her suspicisouly, not saying anything. But then he saw Gabe Jones.

When Bucky's eyes widened in recognition, Charlie smiled. Gabe was the only living survivor of Captain America's howling commandos, and Charlie had found the man entirely by accident. Gabe must've felt the eyes on him, because he turned, and when he caught Bucky's eye, he beamed. James bolted forward, crossing the apartment building to clasp his former teammate's hand, their eyes telling stories.

Charlie watched from a distance, pleased.

"He looks good."

Ward had crept up to her, a glass of wine in his hand. Charlie nodded.

"He does doesn't he? Today's a good day."

"It varies?" Ward raised a brow.

Charlie snorted. "Sometimes by the minute. Did you know when he first woke up here, he thought I was his new owner? He wouldn't even breathe without my permission, it seemed."

Ward shrugged, a wry grin on his face. "I assume you talked him out of that one rather quickly."

"Oh yeah." Charlie laughed. "He has nightmares, of the worst sort. They're better now, but those first few days?" They were horrifying. I think my presence helped. I tried not to push him, and then one day my patience paid off; he just started sharing. Every little detail his caged mind brought to the forefront, he told me about. His childhood, the army, and then…Hydra. That was a bad few days." Charlie shook her head. "I figured, since he told me everything, it would be only fair if I did the same. I think telling him how messed up I am was what really got him to trust me."

"You're good for him." Ian smiled at Charlie as he moved toward the duo. The three of them turned to where Bucky sat, face intent as he listened to Gabe speak.

Charlie shook her head. "He's good for me."

* * *

When the ten minute till mark sounded, the group moved to huddle around the TV. Charlie, who'd been leaning against Ian's legs, as he sat in her loveseat and she sat on the floor, slowly felt him stand up and move away, and then another set of legs replace them. She leaned her head back to shoot Bucky a grin, which he returned with a raised brow.

"Alright there?" She asked brightly.

He nodded.

Charlie flashed him one more smile before turning back to converse with Skye.

"Happy New Year!" The cheering and fireworks from the TV served as background as everyone in Charlie's apartment cheered and shared hugs. Ward kissed Skye, then Gabe, then Trip, grabbing Ian next before moving to plant one on Charlie. Bucky frowned in Ward's direction and held out a hand, halting Wards approach.

Ward hid a smirk. "It's just a-"

"No."

Ward rolled his eyes. "It's part of the tradition of New Years,"

"We had New Years in 1944, but thanks for the history lesson." Bucky spoke dryly, his first sentence in front of the crowd.

"Well, someone needs to kiss me!" Charlie jokingly complained, leaning her head back to send Bucky a wink.

Bucky sighed and leaned over to place a kiss on Charlie's forehead.

Charlie looked slightly stunned, but when Bucky shrugged and smiled, she grinned and winked at Ward.

"Well, that took care of that."

Ward sighed and shook his head, grinning.

* * *

It was, for everyone in that room, a start of something new. For so many people who thought their lives were over, Charlie had given them all… a new beginning. Even Bucky. Though everyone, Bucky included, would admit, that new beginning was especially for Bucky.

Charlie looked around the room and beamed, realizing that night, that party; all of it unplanned and coincidence, had done the impossible: It had turned her group of outcasts into a team.

* * *

**YAAY more people!**

**I decided some people are alive that may not be alive, so I apologize if that bugs you. **

**Next chapter up in a 'mo!**

**Reviews/Follows/Favorites bring me joy!**

**I love you all **

**~CLC~**


	5. DC

**Chapter five YAY**

**James gets bored...and someone makes a surprise visit! Let's GO.**

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

After New Years; James became antsy, and had asked to work with Charlie.

Well; he'd asked to work FOR her, but Charlie would not have that.

Besides, she needed a partner.

So James had begun to work with her.

The first thing she'd done was check on the progress Shield had been making with Hydra….which was little to none.

So she had a meeting with her favorite confidante, and invited James along.

Coulson had believed Charlie easily enough; and James had filled in a lot of blanks that Shield had been drawing according to Hydra.

Charlie also found out that Hydra had; under Shield, been actively searching for "The Winter Soldier." He'd been labeled a threat against all of Shield and Humanity, and many agents had been in overdrive, trying to find him. Coulson promised he'd take care of that, after talking to James for a while, and then Coulson had turned into a blushing schoolboy when he'd found out James was actually Bucky Barnes. Apparently Coulson wasn't JUST a Steve Rogers fan.

That had been pretty great.

James had ended up working with Shield under an alias, and it perked him up like no other.

Apparently the reluctant soldier had missed the fighting.

* * *

While James began working on an on-call basis, Charlie focused on her "plans." One of which included a move.

She'd originally thought James would want to stay in New York. She'd been very wrong, and He'd been very insulted when she mentioned leaving him behind.

That had been a bad three days.

So in February, James and Charlie, as well as most of her employees prepared to move to D.C.. In the chaos of that move Charlie found that she'd been given a large sum of money she hadn't wanted. Apparently there had been a seven figure bounty on the Winter Soldier's head and Coulson had mysteriously found a way to award it to her. "You did bring him in," Coulson had insisted when she'd argued. "You just took him with you again when you left." That large sum of money was then gifted to James, who refused it at first. Finally he accepted, then turned around and bought a medical center in D.C. in Charlie's name. She wasn't happy about that. James was, though.

Charlie had reluctantly accepted the center; with the promise that James would run it; and the two had moved.

Charlie didn't realize until they got to D.C. that James was not going to accept his own apartment.

So they were once again roommates.

Charlie wasn't too upset by this…though.

* * *

The move was a good idea. Charlie could tell a day into being in D.C. Not just for her…but for everyone.

James, she noticed rather quickly, liked to be outside. In New York he never ventured out except for work; partially in fear and partially simply because the memories caused him enough stress, so instead of adding more, James focused simply on recovering. When they moved to D.C., Charlie encouraged him that day to take a walk around their neighborhood. He'd refused until she'd asked him to scope out the block. When she'd phrased it that way, he accepted, and that first day turned into morning jogs and nightly perimeter runs and lunch scope sessions. He didn't seem anxious to venture out much further than their small block, but he seemed to brighten up a bit better. Then Charlotte had an idea.

During one of his runs, she planted…something, knowing he'd find it and bring it home.

And she was right.

* * *

"Lottie!"

"In the study!" Charlotte hollered, grinning when James appeared breathless and flushed.

He paused to gather his words, and Charlotte studied him.

The move to D.C. had done him well. In New York he had been constantly jumpy, nervous. It was so different to what he remembered that he'd never gotten used to being there again. In D.C., it was a new location, with new friends, and slowly, new purpose.

James smiled sheepishly. "I found something while I was out."

Charlotte raised a brow. "What?" James shrugged nervously and moved to open the door to her study, deftly grabbing a very small, scruffy puppy by the neck and hauling it into his arms.

Charlotte smiled. "A puppy! It's so cute!"

The puppy wriggled excitedly in James' arms, and he cuddled it close. "It was in an alley way by itself. I couldn't just leave it there…"

James looked nervous, as if Charlotte would refuse him his next request.

She beat him to it.

She jumped up and moved to pet the excited puppy. "Can we keep him?!" She grinned at the puppy's antics.

James looked at her slightly shocked.

"Come on, James, how can you say no to that face?"

"You're asking me if we can keep the dog?"

Charlotte shrugged. "Well, yeah. I want to, you're the only holdout right now. So can we? Come one, you need a scouting partner!"

James smiled reluctantly. "I was going to ask you if we could keep it."

"Good!" Charlotte grinned. "So we've agreed. Welcome to your new home puppy!" Charlotte leaned forward to kiss the puppy's nose.

James smiled down at Charlotte, who was distracted by the puppy, a little incredulous. Sometimes, he didn't understand her. But he definitely was glad she'd found him. He smirked slightly, still staring down at the crown of her head. Who was he kidding? She'd saved him.

After a visit to the vet Charlotte and James named him Washington.

About a week after they'd officially adopted Washington, the pup had run off and appeared three hours later with a kitten in his jaws. Charlotte named her Liberty, and their little mini family grew.

* * *

Three weeks after Washington showed up, a knock on the door disturbed James and Lottie from a rousing game of Go Fish, and Charlie sighed. "I'll get it." She scrambled up from her seated position on the ground, and grumbled at Washington, who padded after her excitedly.

James heard the door open, then a shout. He shot up, but relaxed when Charlie called back, "It's fine James, I'm fine. Give me a second." James slowly sat back on the couch, but then a figure definitely NOT Charlie strode into the room.

It wasn't anyone James recognized, pre or post metal arm. But from the wide eyes on the man's face, the man recognized him.

Charlie slid into the room on stocking'd feet, running into the man's back. He reached for her arm, pulling her close.

"Do you know that you have the Winter Soldier in your apartment?" He hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

Charlie rolled her eyes, smiling at James. "I am aware."

The man, stared at her sternly. "It's not what you think." She promised.

"Please tell me he's just visiting?" The blond man's green eyes narrowed, and Charlie grinned.

"Nope! His room is to the left, mine is to the right!"

"They're separate?" Charlie nodded. "You're just friends?" Charlie smirked. The man rolled his eyes. "Fine. You may introduce me now. Then you will explain."

Charlie shrugged. "Deal. It's a good story, OW!" Washington had tried to jump her, and she winced. "This is Washington." Charlie groused. "He's new. Liberty is our cat, she's around somewhere. This," She motioned James forward and he took a few steps, holding out his right hand. "Is the former winter soldier. I stole him. He's really nice now." James rolled his eyes.

The man raised a brow. "Does he have a name?"

Charlie winced. "That's the funny part. But it's also really complicated."

"It's James. James Barnes." James spoke up, and the man froze, eyes wide. "Yes, that Barnes," James clarified. "I was born in 1925. I fell out of a train in 1944."

Clint clasped his hand warmly. "Clint Barton. The rest of the story sounds like it's going to be crazy. I can't wait to hear the rest of it."

James grinned ruefully. "How about over dinner?"

Clint grinned. "Sounds perfect."

* * *

"So…What exactly are you doing here, Clint?" Charlie raised a brow in Clint's direction once dinner was finished.

"Did you make this? Clint gestured to his empty plate. "It was delicious."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "No, James made it. I can't cook. Stop stalling. Did something happen? Is Steve okay?"

James flinched slightly, but Charlie had eyes only for Clint, who shook his head quickly. "No! Everyone's fine. I just…"

Clint sighed. "I wanted to find you the second you left, Kay, you gotta believe me, but"

Charlie shook her head. "No butts." She snickered and James rolled his eyes.

"You're so immature." He joked, and Charlie just shrugged.

Clint narrowed his eyes. "Save the jokes for later, I'm trying to grovel."

Charlie patted James' arm, (his metal arm, Clint observed interestedly,) excitedly. "What! Groveling? Oh please, continue!"

Clint rolled his eyes. "We were jerks….we didn't deserve for you to come back. And you were right. You had people to help; and we didn't need you. We wanted you around, sure." Clint shrugged. "But I wasn't going to be selfish and drag you back to us when I believed you could help others. Also;" Clint sent James an evil grin. "I've been reassigned. I wasn't even looking for you."

Charlie frowned. "Then why are you here?"

Clint smirked. "Coulson gave me this address. Told me to go introduce myself to my new partner."

Charlie looked confused, before she looked wide eyed at James, who simply assessed Clint.

"Partner for what?"James asked slowly.

Clint shrugged. "Who knows? Coulson is weird."

James shrugged. "Okay then."

Clint paused. "So…hi partner?"

James smirked. "Sup."

* * *

The evening progressed in a more friendly manner. Clint filled the duo in on what was happening with the Avengers; (although they actually knew most of what was going on, read; Mandarin, Steve joining Shield.) and Charlie filled him in on their business.

At the end of the meal, Clint had clapped his hands excitedly. "So!" He beamed. "Which room is mine?"

* * *

**CLINT!**

**...So THAT'S what he was doing during CA:WS. **

**Of course, CA:WS looks a lot different without Bucky. But events still kind of occur in a similar fashion...ish. **

**They're in D.C. now, ready for action! And with Bucky and Clint and Washington yay!**

**Next Chapter up wednesday!**

**Review/Follow/Favorite PRETTY PLEASE!**

**My love to you all!**

**~CLC~**


	6. Growth

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

"Ah!"

Bucky ran out to the source of the scream to find Charlie fighting for the TV remote with a towel wearing Clint.

Bucky frowned.

"James!" Charlie screeched. "Help me! He's trying to watch the Bachelor!"

Bucky rolled his eyes and moved forward to snatch the remote from Clint, who pouted, but leaned back and adjusted his towel.

Charlie beamed. "I win."

"Cheater." Clint made a face.

"You know it." Charlie jumped off the couch and skipped to the kitchen. "Which, James, I have a question for you."

Bucky held the remote close to his chest and moved to the kitchen. "Clint's been here two weeks. Coulson's been nice enough to give you a month to settle in before he starts sending you guys on missions together, but so far you haven't even tried to get to know him. Do you ever plan on hanging out with him?"

"Not really." Bucky shrugged.

Clint looked insulted, and Bucky winced. "Er…no offense."

"James." Charlie put her hands on her hips. "Clint is your partner. You're eventually going to have to trust him…with your life." Bucky shrugged. Charlie rolled her eyes. "Well then, with MY life." Bucky's eyes narrowed dangerously. "How can you do either of those things if you don't even know him?"

Bucky sighed. "You're right." Charlie grinned. "Of course I am." She relented. "You don't have to be best friends right away…or ever. But you have to start somewhere."

"What do you suggest?" Bucky asked.

Charlie handed him a leash. "Walk." She ordered, and he chuckled.

"Alright then." He whistled for Washington and shot Clint a look. "Are you coming?"

Clint grinned. "Right. Er- let me just put some pants on."

* * *

Bucky didn't want to go on the stupid walk in the first place. He definitely wasn't going to start the conversation.

After ten minutes, Clint decided to be the bigger person. HE'D start the conversation.

"I'm deaf."

"Sorry?" Bucky was taken aback. He'd not expected that...at all.

"I'm deaf." Clint shrugged. "My ears don't work the way they're supposed to- never have. I'm 98% deaf; have to wear hearing aids all the time."

Bucky frowned. "I never would've guessed." He answered honestly.

Clint smiled easily despite their subject matter, hands in his pockets. "I work hard to make sure no one does. It's not that I'm ashamed of it, really. I just don't want others to think I'm…"

"Less?" Bucky asked.

Clint's eyes widened. "Exactly." He laughed. "I've never been able to put a word to it; but that's exactly right…I don't want anyone thinking I'm less."

"You're not less." Bucky answered after a thoughtful silence.

Clint chuckled. "Nah, I know that. Or I got to a point where I figured it out, I suppose. My eye sights one in a million." He poked the side of his head with a finger. "That kind of makes up for the lack of working ears."

Bucky shook his head. "That's not what I meant." He looked down at Washington and smiled softly. "Lottie once told me that the more of yourself you're forced to sacrifice, the better you understand who you are and who you want to be; even more so than those who have never had to sacrifice anything, who've given up or lost something of themselves." He shrugged. "I didn't get it at first…but the longer I'm awake, the more I remember, and the better I just…get it." He shot Clint a look. "I thought maybe you'd get it too."

Clint was silent for a long moment…then he smiled. "I do get it. It makes a lot of sense, actually."

Bucky snorted. "Lottie always makes sense…except for when she doesn't."

Clint's eyes narrowed. "You think real highly of her…don't you?"

Bucky shot him a disbelieveing look. "Of course I do. She saved me."

"And it's nothing more?" He pressed.

Bucky pursed his lips.

"Too far?" Clint guessed.

Bucky crossed his arms.

"Right. Maybe when we know each other better?"

Bucky just snorted.

* * *

"James! Clint!" Charlie burst into the apartment, black slacks torn and white button up torn and covered with blood.

Both men shot up from where they'd been sitting on the couch.

"Are you okay?" Clint asked as Bucky rushed forward. Charlie waved them away.

"I'm fine it's nothing. Listen, will you do me a favor?"

Clint frowned. "What do you need?"

"I need you two to escort a woman to Australia. She's being hunted by this guy she used to work for; he wants her dead and she needs to be moved out of his reach. Will you do it?"

Clint and Bucky shared a look. "Sounds easy enough."

"We do need to get used to each other in a work setting." Bucky shrugged.

"Wonderful." Charlie beamed. "You'll meet her at the airport, you should probably leave in the next ten minutes." She handed Bucky the files. "Here's everything you need to know." She shot Clint a grin. "You might want to put some pants on."

She ran to her room, then stopped in the doorway. "Good luck." She spoke somberly. "You'll need it."

"Well.." Clint mentioned after Charlie had shut her door. "That was ominous." He grinned brightly at Bucky. "Shall we?"

Bucky shrugged. "Why not?"

* * *

Three days later Clint flopped into his seat on the plane, utterly exhausted. "Goodbye!" He muttered. "And good riddance!"

"Are you talking to the country or the woman?" Bucky asked mildy, seated across from him.

Clint huffed. "I'll give you one guess."

Bucky smirked. "She certainly was a character."

"Charlie could've…warned us, or something." Clint complained.

Bucky shrugged. "I personally think it would've been worse to know what we were walking into. And look on the bright side."

"It's over?" Clint quipped.

Bucky inclined his head. "…And, this case proves we CAN work together."

Clint smiled. "True!"

The woman proved to be a challenge that both men were surprisingly up to. While Clint was being harassed, Bucky was subtly beginning to out maneuver her and with no discussion necessary Clint was able to follow along and trick the witch at her own game. Similarly, when Bucky found himself the sole focus of her attention, Clint was working on his end to subdue her as best he knew how and Bucky could read his intentions easily and help him along without giving him away. Eventually the woman had to concede defeat, and the men dropped her off and made due haste to get as far from her as possible.

Now, on their way home, they smiled widely at their success.

The two spent most of the flight in tired but relieved silence. Then Clint chuckled.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"I'm just surprised at how quickly we jumped when Charlie told us to." Clint admitted. "And even sitting here, knowing we weren't tricked into it, all she had to do was ask and we agreed, if she asked me to do something again, I'd agree…again."

Bucky tilted his head.

"I mean, we were bored, but it's not like we couldn't have just as easily done something else. I mean," Clint's look turned sly. "I agreed because I'm fond of her."

Silence. Then…

"Is that why you agreed then?" Because you are also fond of her?"

Bucky pursed his lips. "I suppose."

"But fond like I'M fond of her…or-" Clint broke off as Bucky leveled a glare his way.

"Still too soon then?"

Bucky's glare intensified. "Right. Sorry."

* * *

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the dynamic pairing Barton and Barnes. How was your first Shield mission?"

"Went perfect." Clint beamed. "I expected no less….What's going on?"

Clint and Bucky strode into their apartment to find their living room covered in stacks of paper, Charlie trapped in the middle of them.

Charlie sighed heavily. "I didn't realize my paper backlog was so bad."

You need an office." Clint eyed the mess.

"You need help." Bucky added.

Charlie made a face. "Like mental help?"

"No!" Bucky winced. "Like…paperwork help."

"Oh. Nah, I've got this." She waved a hand.

Clint and Bucky shared a look.

"What's all the paperwork for anyway?"

"Okay, well…" Charlie took a deep breath. "I just bought a couple buildings…The school is all renovated and paid for, which is a million documents, and now I'm looking for someone to run it and teachers and all that, so there are resumes,"

"the schools going well then?" Bucky grinned. Charlie smiled back.

"It's going awesome."

"School?" Clint asked.

"I'm opening a boarding school for at risk kids who show potential slash have nowhere else to go. Specifically for the kids the system doesn't care about…or know about. It's my big project right now, and I'm about ready to hand it over to someone to run." Charlie grimaced. "But….it means I can start on my next project…"

"Which is what?" Clint asked.

"An industry based in D.C. that focuses on technological advances that will help, not hurt." She shrugged. "I just bought the building for that one…which'll be interesting when it's all up and running."

Clint nodded. "Those are big projects."

"That require a lot of backing and support from its community. Which is why I've had all those meetings." Charlie shrugged. "And those are just the big projects."

"The smaller projects are?"

Charlie sighed, pointing to a mountain of paperwork set apart from the rest.

She looked at Clint, Bucky already knowing all of this. "I founded a veterans reestablishment program; focused on getting veterans employment and lodging. It's the Veterans Reestablishment Pride or VRP Program."

Clint furrowed his brows. "Any specific reason why?"

"Former soldiers are the most prideful people I've ever seen, and the programs already out there are great programs, but mine focuses on allowing veterans to maintain their pride while still getting assistance."

"Just cause we're no longer at war doesn't mean we no longer have use." Bucky added. Charlie grinned at him.

"Exactly."

Clint nodded. "That's amazing!"

Charlie nodded. "But a lot of veterans don't want to work under anyone anymore, they'd rather start their own businesses, so the program has a loan/investment program."

"You're giving them the start-up funds." Clint smiled. "Do you know how cool you are?"

Charlie waved off Clint's compliment with a shrug. "The money isn't mine. Shield pays me very well for the information I've supplied them, and any mission or task they freelance to my guys I get 10% of. I donate to the fund personally, and then you add in the donations from those I've spoken to; those who donate to the charity and specifically to the start-up fund, it's not technically ME giving them funds."

She winced. "Although…I did actually invest in a few on a separate basis." She pointed to a smaller stack of papers. "But that's not important." She grinned up at her boys. "I'll be done in a bit, and you can have your living room back."

Bucky took a step forward. "It's your living room, too."

Clint shot Bucky a sly look. "You're supposed to relax here, not work."

"And that's a lot of paper." Bucky added. "You'll need a place to store them."

Charlie watched them suspiciously. "That's what filing cabinets are for."

"But where will these filing cabinets GO?" Clint pressed.

Charlie sagged. "I'll figure it out." She promised. "Maybe I'll set up an office for myself in my industry, or something."

"Or..." Bucky raised his brows. "it might just be easier to have an office separate from ALL your projects; with a built-in meeting room so ALL of your employees and everyone knows where to reach you."

Charlie raised a brow. "Let me guess. You know just the place."

Clint shrugged. "We might have gone for a run and found a few complexes for sale."

"Within running distance to a lot of other empty complexes you could "invest" in, and the building your looking at housing the Industry in is just around the corner." Bucky tacked on.

"And don't think we don't know about the warehouse a short drive from where you were looking at warehouses." Clint put in.

"And there are some great single-family home lots for sale nearby too." Bucky said this not looking at either Clint or Charlie. She tilted her head.

"You make very good points," she began, "but location's not a huge deal breaker for me, seeing as I can just poof places."

Clint grimaced. "I don't like poof."

Charlie wilted. "You don't think Glitch is a little overused?"

"No." Bucky agreed with Clint. "It's classic. Stick with glitch."

Charlie sighed. "Okay, fine." She looked down at all her papers, thinking hard. She caved. "What's the address?"

Bucky grinned and rattled off the address. She nodded. "I'll check it out."

"You know what else would be helpful?" Clint grinned, on a roll. "Someone to keep you on point, with all the directions you're pulled. Like an…assistant?"

"Or at least a secretary," Bucky silently high fived Clint when he wasn't looking. "Someone to work specifically with the paperwork."

"Or both!" Clint tried not to laugh.

Charlie shook her head. "All right, I get it, I'm not superwoman, I can't do it all on my own. I'll see about getting people to help..MAYBE, after I find an office I like. Will you let this go for now?"

Clint and Bucky nodded brightly.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Great." She stepped over the paperwork, poking Bucky in the chest.

"Don't think I don't know what just happened." She shook her head sadly. "You two ganging up on me like that…I've created monsters." She smiled and walked to the kitchen.

As Charlie turned the corner, Clint grinned. "We're such great partners!" He enthused. "So NOW can I ask about…"

"No." Bucky shook his head.

Clint wilted.

"Ask me again when you save my life."

"Fine." Clint pouted.

* * *

"Buck, watch out!" Clint pushed Bucky to the ground, a bullet whizzing past the two men to hit exactly where Bucky's head had been positioned moments before.

"Thanks." Bucky breathed. He grinned. "The answer is yes."

He jumped into a crouch. "and very different than you."

He checked his weapon. "and I'm pretty sure it's love."

"What?" Clint furrowed his brow. Then he got it.

He'd just save'd Bucky's life.

He frowned.

"Really? That's all the details I get?!"

Bucky flashed him a smile, helping him up. "Pretty much.

Clint grumbled, then laughed.

He knew it.

* * *

"Hey Lottie."

"James, hey!" Come on in!" Charlie dropped the folder she'd been reading with a grin. "What do you think of the place?"

Charlie had caved and bought the office complex. It housed her office, a records room, her assistant's office, a lobby and secretary's desk, two conference rooms, three other currently empty offices, and a break room. It was decorated in different shades of blues and browns, and was very soothing. Bucky loved it. "It's great." He smiled. Charlie placed a hand lovingly on her desk.

"Me too." She agreed. She looked back up. "I haven't seen you in a while, you've been so caught up in everything. How are you?"

Bucky grimaced. "It's going well. Clint's on an undercover right now scheduled to last for a few months."

Charlie nodded. "He came to see me before he headed out. You going to miss him?"

Bucky shot her a look. She laughed.

"It's ok, I know you will. He'll be back and bugging you again soon enough. Means you've got some vacation time then. Any crazy plans?"

Charlie tilted her head. "You look serious. What's up, J?"

Bucky took a seat. "When you first found me," he began, "I was in no shape to do anything, go anywhere." You saved me." He looked up earnestly and Charlie couldn't help herself. She flushed.

"I didn't do that much," she tried, but Bucky shook his head.

"You gave me a place to stay, constant support, a job, friends…Lottie, you're amazing, and I appreciate everything; all of it."

Charlie smiled wistfully. "I'm sensing a but here."

"But," Bucky began, "Clint's been keeping me updated on the Hydra situation."

Charlie nodded. "It's not being taken care of as quickly as most would hope, and you want to help."

Bucky sighed. "Lottie…I remember everything." He leaned forward, eyes bright. "Names, faces, locations, with the information I have running through my brain, Hydra could be wiped out in three months."

Charlie stood and moved to look out her window. Bucky stayed seated, hands clasped tightly in his lap. "And it's not enough to just share the information and let Shield take care of this; you need to be the one out there."

Bucky shrugged. "I know who I am. You helped with that, but I need to prove to myself that I can finish this; that after everything they did to me and everyone else they'll lose, and that I was a part of that defeat…I have to do this."

Charlie faced him, an understanding smile on her face. "I get it. And it makes sense." She chuckled. "This means no vacation for you then?"

Bucky shook his head, smiling slightly.

"You're leaving now?" She assumed. He nodded.

Charlie sighed. "I'm losing both my boys at the same time." She shrugged. "A colleague's been wanting me to spend some time in London…I guess now's a good a time as any.

Bucky stood slowly. He opened his mouth…and then closed it. Charlie waited. Finally he moved so that he stood less than a foot away from her.

"When I get back…" Bucky began. "I have…something to ask you."

Charlie's half smile deepened. She moved a little closer. "Well then…I'll make sure to have an answer for you."

Then, as if he couldn't help himself, he pulled her into a tight hug which she returned eagerly. When they released each other her smile was a little wobbly.

"Good luck."

He smiled. "Same to you."

He walked away before he could do something crazy; like throw her over his shoulder and take her with him.

As hard as it would be…this was something he needed to do on his own.

Charlie watched Bucky march away, back straight and expression determined.

* * *

….He was such a babe.

….Which wasn't really appropriate. They were friends.

Still.

"My baby off to destroy people," She murmured, picking up her file once more. She'd have to get ahold of Mycroft and see if the offer still stood.

She sniffed. "I'm so proud."

* * *

**I LOVE BUCKY.**

**I think Clint and Bucky are just great as friends, It's so beautiful! (Beautiphil.) **

**So...If you're keeping track, Charlie's with the Avengers from May 2011 to November 2011. **

**Chapters 1-6 of Bucky take place from December-ish 2011 to May 2012. (The last conversation is held in the middle of May.) **

**If you're a dates person like I am, and like to keep track of that sort of thing. **

**Next chapter is what Bucky gets up to while Charlie's in LONDON. Yep. **

**Review/Follow/Favorite if you can, I really appreciate it!**

**I LOVE YOU ALL!**

**~CLC~**


	7. London

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

**June 2012**

Bucky had been putting this phone call off…but he could stall no more.

"Kirk's Office, How can I help you?" It was a dude….a cheery voice. Bucky didn't like it.

"Who is this?" He asked suspiciously.

"Mack Stewart. I'm the secretary." The male voice answered promptly.

"Oh. Is Lottie In?" Bucky relaxed.

"Sorry?"

"Oh, er, right. Charlie. Charlotte. Ms. Kirk? Captain?" He tried.

"May I ask who is calling?" The voice, Mack, asked politely.

"Bucky. Er…James…Barnes?"

"Oh!" The voice chirped. "I'll transfer you right away."

"Thanks."

* * *

"Kirk Speaking?"

"You sound so…professional."

"James." Charlie's voice went from impersonal and polite to her normal, warm tone. Bucky relaxed even further.

"Lottie. How are you? Are you at the office?"

Charlie laughed. "No, actually. I'm in London."

Bucky frowned.

"I have my cell connected to the office phone using technology and things I can't really explain. It's only for emergencies and like, three people."

"I'm glad I made the cut." Bucky joked dryly.

Charlie chuckled. "You're number one on the list, actually. How's month one of Hydra Hunting?"

Bucky sighed. "Its…therapeutic."

"AKA bloody." Charlie joked. "I see you."

Bucky didn't deny it. "It helps."

"I'm glad." Charlie's voice was warm.

"How are things in London?" Bucky asked, holding the phone tightly to his ear, a lifeline.

"They're…interesting. I convinced Mycroft, Sherlock's brother? To teach me how to be in charge of people and money and businesses, and it's been really helpful so far. Sherlock's a butt head though."

"And John?" Bucky smiled.

"John…" Charlie sighed. "He reminds me of my dad, and that part hurts. But he's great, really." Bucky made a noise of sympathy.

"Are you staying out of trouble?" Bucky asked. Charlie laughed.

"No, I am not!"

"Good." Bucky grinned. He heard muffling over the phone, and Charlie sighed. "Hey, I've got to go, but don't wait another month to call me alright?"

Bucky made a face she couldn't see. "I promise."

"I have Thursdays off." Charlie mentioned. "We can talk all you want on those days."

"Duly noted. Be safe?" Bucky cautioned.

Charlie chuckled. "Don't tell me what to do. Talk to you later."

Bucky held his phone to his ear even as the beep told him she'd hung up.

He jumped from the creaky bed he'd been sitting on. He still had a mission to complete, and he just wanted to go home…to Lottie, to Washington, even to Clint, the jerk.

Which meant he needed to get to work.

* * *

**July 2012**

"Hey Lottie."

"Oh…Hey James." Charlie did not sound well….she sounded as if she'd been crying, and Bucky began to pace his sleazy hotel room.

"Lot- are you okay?"

"Yep." A deep breath, then a wobbly. "How's Hydra hunting?"

"Almost done. What's wrong?"

"That's great, James." Charlie sounded as if she was getting weepy. "At least one of us is successful."

"What does that mean?"

"It means…" Charlie huffed. "It means Sherlock is still going to jump. I'm useless."

"You are NOT useless." Bucky snapped. "Stop thinking that at once. Stop it now."

Charlie scoffed.

"Stop." Bucky ordered again. "Tell me what's up."

"I talked to Mycroft." Charlie began slowly. "They have Moriarty in Lockup, but they're still going to let him go."

"You thought if you warned them they wouldn't free him." Bucky inferred.

"Yeah." Charlie laughed. "I guess I was wrong."

"Lottie….I know you do the things you do because you care. But just think about this for one second. What happens if Sherlock doesn't jump?"

Charlie sighed heavily. "John isn't devastated, for one. But, and Mycroft has already run me through this one: Moriarty's organization stays fully functional, everyone's still in danger and no good will come of THAT. I know. But…John. He's going to be so alone….knowing him the way I do, how I can I willingly let him go through that?"

"Who says he's going to be alone?" Bucky finally asked.

"What?"

"In the show; he had one GOOD friend…Sherlock. What's different here?"

"…Me."

"Exactly." Bucky nodded. "No matter what happens or needs to happen, you'll be there. You DID change things, just by being there."

Charlie huffed. "Yeah. You're right. Thanks James."

"Any time." Bucky smiled on his end.

"So…Month two is progressing to your satisfaction?" Charlie asked brightly.

Bucky laughed. "Better, actually. I should be done sooner than expected."

"That's really great, J. Is it helping you find yourself?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "In a way." He looked down at the squirming Hydra agent tied up in front of him. The agent eyed him warily. "I'll call you later?"

"Sure thing! See ya, Buck."

"Bye Lottie." Bucky hung up the phone and kneeled down to look at the agent eye to eye.

"That lady," He spoke lightly, "is going to marry me one day. And I haven't seen her in 69 days…..so you might want to tell me what I need to know before I make this really painful for you. My patience has run out."

* * *

**August 2012**

"Hey, J!" How's things?"

"It's done."

"What?"

Bucky took a deep breath and locked eyes with Coulson, who stood surrounded by cheering Shield agents. Coulson nodded in thanks, and Bucky turned slightly away. "Hydra's gone…for good."

"WHAT?!" Charlie shot up from where she'd been lounging in Sherlock and John's flat, waving away their concern. "Are you kidding me? How?"

Bucky grinned. "Got tired of removing heads…I finally went to the heart of it."

Charlie chuckled. "Good! I'm so glad!"

"Yeah." Bucky laughed. "Shield's pretty glad too, seeing as they're still up and running."

"Anything interesting happen?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Fury retired. Coulson's in charge. Maria stayed on with Shield, she's his second. Skye and Ward are a part of his executive branch."

"Ah." Charlie sighed. "We're losing them." She shook her head. "Figured. They'll be fine."

Bucky made a face. "I'm not actually sure I was supposed to tell you that." He admitted. "I think they wanted to inform you face to face."

Charlie shrugged. "It was inevitable, but I'll act surprised." She teased.

"Oh good." Bucky and Charlie let the silence linger for a moment, then Bucky smiled. "So….I'm heading home then."

Charlie nodded. "Are you now?" She asked lightly.

"Yep." Bucky made a face. "I thought about making a pit stop first though." He hedged.

"Anyplace near me?" Charlie joked.

"Perhaps." Bucky smiled. "Any way you'd be free to meet me for a bit?"

Charlie smiled foolishly on her end.

It had been three months. She missed James more than she thought she would. "I think I could schedule some time in for you." She grinned.

"Great! See you soon then?"

Charlie bit her lip. "Yep! Soon."

* * *

**August 2012**

Bucky was nervous.

The coffee shop Charlie had directed him to was…posh. She had the Londoners calling her Eden…which was a bit prissy sounding. She'd been here for months. What if she changed? What if she was different? What if…"

"James!" Bucky almost didn't turn in time, a blur of navy and bright red rushing towards him. He held out his arms just in time for Charlie to sweep forward and wrap her arms around him tightly, burying her face into the crook of his shoulder. He squeezed her to him, resting his face in her hair.

He'd missed this….missed HER.

As much as fighting had been familiar to him, comfortable, this?

Charlie?

SHE was home.

Charlie leaned back to examine his face. Bucky did the same.

She was slimmer than he'd last seen her. A bit less warrior toned than she'd been, softer in the face. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled, and she beamed up at him.

"You look good." She enthused, her hands gripping his.

Bucky smiled, and all of the baggage he'd had from Hydra just….disappeared.

"I feel good." He answered honestly.

Charlie smiled and her dimple made an appearance, and Bucky smirked. "Shall we sit?"

Charlie flushed when she realized the entire café had eyes glued on them, and she nodded. "Yes." She agreed. "We shall."

Charlie and Bucky settled themselves into a corner table, both of them unable to stop grinning.

"It is just too good to see you," Charlie admitted. "London is great, but…"

Bucky nodded in understanding. "I get it." He agreed. "Being on the go again was amazing, but I missed D.C. and home."

"And me?" Charlie teased.

Bucky snorted. "And you." He added solemnly. "You most of all."

Charlie didn't know what to say to that, so she smirked. "And Clint?"

"And Clint not at all." Bucky added cheekily. Charlie laughed. "How's Clint and Shield?"

Bucky sighed. "Clint is….torn. As are some of the men and women you have with you. They enjoy working with Shield…."

"And with half of the Shield agents not actually being Shield agents they don't want to defect and lessen Shield's numbers even more." Charlie nodded. "I get it, and I don't want to compete with Phil. I'll have to set up a meeting with him to talk this all out, but my plans are leaning less towards spywork and more towards…"

"Not spywork?" Bucky joked.

Charlie shook her head. "Well….pretty much. I mean, having trained individuals located at the school and in the industry as secret security wouldn't be a bad idea, and if Shield had agents who wanted to retire but not retire," Charlie made a face, "If that makes sense, I would gladly take them on." She shrugged. "More meetings, more paperwork. Gross."

"It sounds like you have some help in your office though." Bucky brought up.

Charlie nodded. "Mack." She grinned. "He's a former fighter pilot who went to school for business and ended up losing a leg and being shipped home. He walked into the VRP program and started bemoaning my paperwork."

Charlie chuckled as she remembered the day. "I told him if he didn't like the way I did things, he could come back and do it himself."

"And he did?" Bucky raised a brow surprised, but Charlie just grinned and nodded.

"He did. And I told him he was hired. He lives above the office complex with his baby sister."

"And you work well together?" Bucky pressed.

"Oh yeah." Charlie nodded. "He's amazing. But he agrees with you and Clint….I need an assistant."

"Any luck on that front?"

Charlie grimaced. "None at all. But I'm still looking. You think any of Shields extremely proficient staff wants a less stressful job?"

Bucky shook his head with a chuckle. "It doesn't hurt to ask, I suppose." His face brightened. "There was this kid I worked with…name's Ian. He's been with Shield since he was 14, seemed a bit tired of the desk job…he's 19 now. I could set you guys up?"

Charlie laughed. "Set me up huh?" Bucky's eyes narrowed.

"I didn't mean it like that," he complained. Charlie just laughed harder. Bucky crossed his arms.

"Okay, fine, sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. Please, by all means, if you think we'll work well together, I would love to meet him." Charlie agreed seriously, and Bucky relaxed.

"Now." Charlie smiled mischievously. "You said you'd have a question to ask me when you got back?"

Bucky flushed. "Oh. Right. I did say that."

Charlie waited, smiling. Bucky fidgeted.

He remembered his past….he'd been SMOOTH with the ladies. A romantic at heart he'd been, but he'd covered his sensitive side up and worked the field. He knew how to talk with a woman…how to flirt with them…but with Charlie….it was different. Because she mattered.

His phone rang before he could answer. He sighed in relief.

"Hello?" He nodded slowly. "Yeah, she's right here." Charlie's eyes brightened. "We were just talking about setting something up with you, Coulson."

Charlie smiled, clapping her hands together excitedly.

"When?" Bucky asked, looking to Charlie. She mouthed a word at him.

"Would now work? It's her day off." Bucky asked. "No, you're not interrupting anything. She'll meet you at the usual place in ten minutes. Great." Bucky hung up his phone, not missing the raised brow and smirk on Charlies face as she shook her head slowly in his direction.

"I still have a question to ask." Bucky explained. "But later. Not yet."

Charlie crossed her arms. "Ok…if you say so. I suppose my answer can wait a bit longer too."

Bucky nodded, then shot her a sly look. "So….you already have an answered prepared then?"

Charlie smiled warmly, uncrossing her arms. "I do."

"And it's not going to change?" Bucky asked a little nervously.

Charlie shook her head. "No it's not."

"Is it an answer I'll like?" He asked again. Charlie winked. "I don't know, I'll guess we'll see."

* * *

Two weeks later, On August 13th, Charlie's 21st birthday, Bucky finally got around to asking Charlie that question.

And in the month of waiting, Charlie's answer hadn't changed….just as she'd promised Bucky it wouldn't.

And it was an answer Bucky liked….very very much.

When Clint found out, he'd been overjoyed.

He'd known it was coming all along.

Of course, he'd thought that Bucky would just skip ahead and propose.

But no, he'd wanted to do it the right way.

And so on August 13th, 2013, Charlotte Dylan Eden Kirk and James Buchanon Barnes became an official couple.

And no one who knew them was surprised.

* * *

**December 2012**

"Clint?! Seriously, put some pants on." Bucky whirled out of his room, throwing a pair of Jeans in Clint's face.

Clint jumped up. "Yo!" Calm yourself dude!" But Bucky wasn't listening. Instead, he dashed to the kitchen and began throwing dirty dishes into the dishwasher. "Dude…what's up?"

"Lottie's on her way home."

Clint's eyes widened and he threw the jeans to the side to begin to grab trash and throw them into the garbage bin. "Oh god. This place is a distaster."

"She's going to kill us," Bucky agreed, starting the Dishwasher as soon as it was filled and grabbing a wet rag to wipe down the countertops.

"How did it get this bad?" Clint griped as he threw clothing that littered the living room into his bedroom.

"Who knows…who cares? Just hurry!"

Clint grumbled but moved dishes from the living room to the sink. "When is she going to be here?" He asked.

"Four hours."

Clint froze. "Really?"

Bucky stopped. "What?"

"We have hours. Why are we rushing?"

Bucky smirked. "Would you really have helped clean up if I hadn't made it seem like she'd be showing up any second?"

Clint frowned. "No…but that's rude."

Bucky shrugged and handed Clint the vacuum. "Sorry. Since you're up anyway."

Clint ripped the vacuum out of Bucky's hand with a grimace. "You suck."

Bucky chuckled, moving back to finish cleaning the kitchen at a more leisurely pace. "Bite me."

* * *

"Welcome home!" Clint cheered as Charlie appeared in the living room.

With a tired smile, she dropped her bag and sent Clint a wave. Then she turned to Bucky and walked straight into his arms. Bucky, understanding immediately, wrapped his arms around her.

"It's not a rejection, Char," He soothed. "For them it's for you protection."

"Doesn't make it sting any less." Charlie whined.

Clint grimaced. "Did London pull a "we don't need you here anymore" the way we did?"

Charlie let go of Bucky and shrugged. "Kinda. I know it's not personal but…"

Clint nodded slowly. "I get it. Still hurts. You know what helps?"

Charlie smiled half-heartedly. "What?"

Clint raised a fist in the air. "The bachelor!"

Bucky groaned, but Charlie's smile turned a bit more genuine. "With ice cream?"

Bucky made a face. "All the ice cream you want." He promised immediately.

Charlie hugged Bucky once more than hopped onto their living room couch. Her boys took seats on either side of her. She snuggled into Bucky's side and plopped her feet in Clint's lap.

While being sent away for the second time hurt her to the bone….she had her boys at home…and that meant the world to her.

* * *

Her phone rang a few hours later.

"Hello?"

"Eddie? It's John."

"John?" Charlie shot Clint and Bucky a surprised look. "Is everything Ok?"

"Oh…yes, I didn't mean to worry you. You did say I could call you whenever I wanted?"

"You can." Charlie agreed. "I just saw you a few hours ago though. How can anything of import happened?"

John huffed. "It's Sherlock Holmes. You really think he can't cause mass chaos in less than an hour if he wanted?"

Charlie giggled. "Yeah, you're right. So what did the man child do now?"

"Oh you won't BELIEVE what he's gone and done now…" Charlie listened eagerly, hanging up an hour later a little less hurt and feeling a little more significant.

John called her every few days or so those first few weeks. Charlie kept waiting for the moment in which John would grow too busy to call her, with work and life and their phone calls and friendship would just…taper off.

But they never did. John would call every three days like clockwork, and they would talk for an hour, minimum. They would share stories of their daily lives and Charlie used John as a sounding board for…everything. She highly valued his opinion and asked his advice in a lot of areas.

It was like having her dad around again.

And when the phone call came; declaring Sherlock's demise and John's breakdown, Charlie was in London in moments, stood at John's side every step of the way, and once the coast was clear…told him everything.

Charlie felt like London had given her a father…and John felt like Eden had given John someone to care about….and both felt extremely blessed.

* * *

**LONDON...So this is a sneak peak behind the scenes of Deducing the Sleuth, what Charlie's working on, What Bucky's up to...and love is in the air! **

**Seriously, Charlie and Bucky are so cute. **

**A short break between this chapter and the next chapter, which is HUNTING, and coincides with Crowley's Redemption, and I don't want to post it until CR is done...which should be a week, two max. No spoilers for those reading these at the same time! Good news is...when I DO post next, it'll be three chapters all at once! Then we move onto the FINALE...YAY! **

**I'm so stoked! **

**Reviews/Follows/Favorites are SOOO nice to receive for me! **

**Love y'all!**

**~CLC~**


	8. Hunting

**Last Chapter! *TEARS***

**There's a conclusion not only to this story, but also to CROWLEY, and this chapter is a big lead-in to CHARLIE (The final installation of the GLITCH series.) **

**YAY. **

**Let's do this!**

**Disclaimer: Bucky Barnes, and everyone depicted in this chapter and all that will follow, do not belong to me. Marvel Cinematic Universe holds all authority and owner-ness, and I'm just borrowing them because I love them!**

* * *

**April 2013**

"Hey Babe." Bucky raised a brow slightly as he stood in the Charlie's bedroom doorway, watching his girlfriend of six months throw articles of clothing in a duffle bag. She shot him a smile over her shoulder as she turned back to her packing.

He didn't know they were doing pet names. He'd thought about it of course, but he'd intended to follow her lead. If this wasn't a sign…

"Gorgeous." He shot her a smirk.

"Quick on the uptake then. Noted." Charlie paused to face Bucky fully. "How are you?"

Bucky shrugged. "Sore. Clint's a jerk." Bucky looked over his shoulder to see Clint shoot Bucky the finger from where he lay sprawled on the couch in just boxers. Bucky shook his head, turning back to his girlfriend. "We're on break right now, just wanted to know if you felt like going out for dinner tonight."

Charlie turned back to her duffel bag with a grimace. "Oh. No can do. I'm actually off on assignment."

"For SHIELD?" Bucky asked confused. Clint hopped up from the couch to join the conversation.

"Nah." Charlie shook her head. "The Winchesters have invited me to go hunting with them for a while. I figured it wouldn't hurt."

"Compiling notes for that new FBI thing you're working on?" Clint spoke up. Charlie grinned, putting her hands on her hips.

"Something like that." She agreed.

"How long?" Bucky asked with a frown.

Charlie shrugged. "A few months. I'll be back before the elections, for sure."

"Ugh, politics." Clint grimaced, done with the conversation. "I'm out. Have fun on your road trip." Clint added as he made his way back to the couch.

"Thanks, Clint." Charlie chuckled. "What?" She asked eyeing Bucky's pout with a raised brow.

"So my girlfriends telling me she's going to spend a few months traveling the country with a hot brother duo then." Bucky crossed his arms and sniffed, looking pointedly away. "I see how it is."

With a laugh Charlie moved to wrap her arms around her sulky boyfriend. He only lasted a few moments before he caved in and returned her hug.

"It's not going to be for very long." She promised. "You'll always be my favorite." Charlie must've realized the pout still hadn't left Bucky's face because she moved away only far enough so that she could see his eyes. "And I give you permission to pop in and check on me whenever you want."

"Really?" Bucky smirked.

"Yep." Charlie agreed. She poked him in the chest. "But secretly. Don't embarrass me."

Bucky sighed heavily, looking towards the ceiling. "Drat! There goes my dastardly plan to appear in the most ridiculous outfits I could think of."

Charlie laughed and moved to grab her bag. "Like what? A stupid tie or funky hat or something?"

Bucky shrugged. "I'm sure I could think of something."

"Uh huh." Charlie shook her head. I'll believe it when I see it."

Charlie gave him one last parting hug, and Bucky leaned down slightly to kiss her on the cheek before she left.

"Well." Clint hollered from the living room once Charlie was gone. "Now you gotta think of something ridiculous."

Bucky snorted. "I'll figure something out."

* * *

**May 2013**

"Really hon? A hairnet?"

"You were the one that brought up the hat idea. I just rolled with it." Bucky handed his girlfriend her ice cream cone, taking a seat next to her on the park bench they'd commandeered.

Charlie snorted as she licked her vanilla ice cream. "Well, I'll admit, it is pretty ridiculous. And yet you somehow pull it off."

Bucky grinned. "It's part of my old man charm."

"Please!" Charlie argued. "You only get old man charm if you LOOK old."

"I just AM old?" Bucky questioned wryly.

"Exactly!" Charlie agreed.

With a huff, Bucky swiped a finger through Charlie's cone. She made a face of outrage and swatted him in the side. He just smiled wider and wiped his ice cream covered finger down the side of her nose. With a growl, Charlie deposited her entire cone into his nose.

The two stared at one another, shocked at Charlie's brazen action, and then began laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

"Wow." Charlie and Bucky paused in their laughter to look up at the tree directly above them, where Clint sat perched on one of the branches. "You guys are so cute it's actually nauseating."

"Yeah, well, he started it." Charlie blamed. Bucky shrugged. "What are doing in Montana?"

Clint shrugged. "I dunno. I was bored. What are you doing in Montana? Hunting still?"

"Yup." Charlie smiled and handed Bucky a napkin, which he took with a soft smile.

"Winchesters." Clint nodded. "How's that going?"

"Not bad." Bucky shot Clint a look before standing to deposit his and Charlie's garbage. "I thought Dean, the older brother," Charlie described, "would get along a lot better than we do…but he's kind of a douche bag." Charlie shrugged. "I mean, with everything he's been through, it's kind of understandable, but still."

"And the younger brother?" Bucky asked as he sat back down.

"Sammy." Charlie smiled wistfully. "I actually wasn't all that fond of him in the show, but…I adore him." Bucky growled, and Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Not like that J, calm yourself. He reminds me of my brother."

Clint whistled softly. "I never really think about that."

"Think about what, brah?"

Clint shrugged. "About the fact that you actually don't belong here. In this dimension, I mean. That you might miss your old home."

Bucky shot Clint an evil glare, but Charlie just shrugged. "Oh, that."

"Oh that!" Bucky snorted. "It's just your family and friends and whole life."

Charlie turned to eye Bucky fully. "I'm stuck here, J. That's the truth of the matter. What would be the point of whining about something that can't be changed?" Bucky flushed, and Clint dropped a pine cone on his head.

"Who says your stuck? Maybe Loki can't help you, but aren't you hanging out with angels who can like, do cool dimension things and stuff?"

Bucky continued to glare at Clint, who just threw more pine cones his way. Charlie cocked her head as she thought it over. "You've got a point, Clint. She leaned back against Bucky and sighed. "But to be completely honest…there's no urgency. I mean, I miss my family, but… I have everything I need, right here."

Bucky wrapped his arms around Charlie, a half-smile on his face. Clint made gagging motions, but the couple ignored him.

A cough had the two looking to the left, where Cas stood, awkwardly looking from Bucky to Charlie, as if he didn't understand why they would be touching each other. Charlie sat up slowly.

"Cas." She asked bemused. "What's up?"

Cas watched Bucky with narrowed eyes for a moment.

"Cas." Charlie snapped her fingers. "What do you want?"

"Oh." Cas shook himself out of his stupor. "The Winchester's have noticed you're missing. It's time to go."

"Ah, darn." Charlie grimaced. "Alright. By the way, this is Clint," Clint jumped down from the tree to steal Charlie's spot on the bench. Clint inclined his head.

"And this is-"

"Bucky." Bucky interrupted, holding out his hand. Cas shook it firmly. "I'm Lottie's boyfriend."

Cas slowly narrowed his eyes, and Bucky stared back unflinchingly. Cas was the first to look away, towards Charlie, who just beamed.

"I'm keeping him." She warned.

Cas sighed heavily. "Fine. But we need to go."

"Lead the way, feathers." Charlie waved at Clint and kissed Bucky on the cheek before hurrying after Cas.

Bucky watched her go with a soft smile.

"Hate to see her leave, love to watch her go?" Clint smirked.

Bucky smacked Clint in the back of the head. "I hate you."

"What?" Clint sputtered. "Why?"

Bucky held up a finger. "One, you interrupt our date,"

Clint sputtered again.

"And two: Bucky bit out, "you talk about her past and start giving her ideas."

Clint held up a finger of his own. "We want her happy." He argued. "Wherever that is."

Bucky huffed. "I want her to be happy." He agreed. "I just want her to be happy…but with me, here."

Clint grimaced. "Honestly? I'm with you on that." He stood. "Come on. I'll go buy you a beer."

Bucky rolled his eyes, but stood. "It's the least you could do." He argued grudgingly. "Chasing off my girlfriend and all."

Clint chuckled. "You two and your ice cream dates. It's been months, dude. Shouldn't your dates be ending a bit more…er…differently?" Clint made a few hand gestures.

Bucky rolled his eyes. "I'm an old man, Clint. Leave me alone."

Clint smirked. "Oh yeah. I keep forgetting." He threw an arm around Bucky.

"Because of how young and spry I am?" Bucky asked dryly.

Clint laughed. "Something like that."

* * *

**June 2013**

"I'm sorry, how many werewolves?" Bucky raised a brow as he stirred the spaghetti sauce. Clint peeked his head out from where he'd been rummaging around in the fridge.

"That's too many." Bucky argued. He lifted the spoon to his mouth, gagged, and reached for the salt. "No, well, tell them to stop or something."

Clint snorted, and pulled out a salad.

"Obviously it's not that I don't think you can handle yourself, Lottie, it's just that anything can happen and I don't appreciate how low self-preservation falls on your list of priorities."

Charlie's voice increased in volume, and Bucky jerked the phone away from his ear. Clint chuckled.

"It's only cause I love you." Bucky complained. Then he froze.

Clint's mouth dropped open and he turned to Bucky, eyes wide.

Charlie on the other end went silent. Then; clear enough so that enough Clint could hear her, she uttered one word.

"Same!"

It broke the silence, and Clint burst out laughing. Bucky flushed.

Charlie spoke for a few more minutes, then Bucky hung up.

"You're a treasure." Clint spoke up. His hands were clasped to his chest. "We must protect you."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "I regret my life." He confessed.

Clint just laughed again.

* * *

**July 2013**

"Clint! I request your amazing skills!"

Charlie burst into her apartment, and Clint squawked, reaching for the jeans he'd ripped off the second he'd gotten home. Charlie shook her head sadly.

"Why are you always naked?" She frowned.

Clint shrugged. "It's my natural state." He zipped up his jeans and plopped his hands on him hips. "You look good."

Charlie grinned. Her dark curly hair was pulled into a high pony tail, and while her dark jeans fit her like a glove, (skinny jeans were STILL in, why that was Clint would never understand,) Her dark green tee and the plaid shirt she wore over it like a jacket were loose enough to counteract the tightness of her bottoms. The brown motorcycle boots she wore looked worn and scuffed. "I look like a hunter." She smiled. "The style is a lot more natural to me than the London one was." She shrugged. "Anyway, This tape is charred beyond repair, can you fix it?"

"Beyond repair usually means it can't be fixed," Clint advised as he moved forward to examine the thing. "For normal people." He smirked. "Give me a few hours, I'll see what I can do." He shot her a sly look out of the corner of his eye. "While you're waiting you might want to take a walk in the park."

Charlie smirked. "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." She grinned. "See ya in a bit." And she was gone.

Clint rolled his eyes. That awkward moment when you were hopelessly single and your best friends were spectacularly in love with each other.

But at the same time…they were so cute.

* * *

**August 2013 **

"Yes?"

Bucky looked down at the gruff older man in the plaid shirt and trucker hat, his eyes suspicious, and tried to relax.

"Your name is Robert "Bobby" Singer. You own this salvage yard but in your spare time hunt supernatural creatures." The man stiffened and Bucky continued. "You work quite closely with your adopted sons Sam and Dean Winchester, and recently they have been hunting with a young woman you call Dylan. She is brave and stupid and prone to being the hero…not for the glory of it but because that's just who she is. She has recently been hurt and all I want to do is make sure she's still alive."

Bobby eyed Bucky. "You're the boyfriend then?" He spoke after a few long minutes.

Bucky nodded stiffly.

Bobby huffed and opened his door. "Well, come in then." Bucky stepped in, and within moments a glass of water was held out to him. Bucky nodded meaningfully to show he knew what it was, then swallowed the entire glassful. It was salt-filled and probably blessed. Bucky didn't even grimace.

Bobby nodded. "She's not here." He confided. "But tell me what information you can, and I'll see about calling her. Deal?"

Bucky moved to sit on the man's couch, nodding in agreement.

Bobby sat opposite him, crossed his arms, and squinted.

And Bucky began to speak.

Bucky's voice was raw when he finally stopped. He'd spoken into the wee hours of the morning, about anything and everything that came to his mind…not only because he wanted the gruff man whose house he'd just appeared at to trust him, but also because his only confidante up to this point were Lottie, whom was great for most things but not for all of them, and Clint, who wasn't the best with the giving of advice. And Bobby just felt…safe.

Bobby was a man who'd lived life; who'd seen the best and worst of people and chose not to give up; who'd lost the people most important to him but instead of closing everyone out opened his heart and home to two boys who needed him almost as much as he needed them, and who just seemed so…wise. So Bucky talked, and Bobby advised, and when Bucky felt drained, unable to say anything more, Bobby simply nodded and stood.

"I'll get the punk for ya." He promised, moving to the kitchen.

Bucky sat, certain he wasn't supposed to overhear the things Bobby muttered under his breath, but grinning as the mans covert words confirmed that Bucky had chosen the right man to open up to.

"Picking up strays again are ya? You're too old for this Bobby….Ah well…what's a few more? Kid needs some good common sense spoken to him…and if you've got anything, old man, you've got plenty of that. Besides…the kid adores the punk. He can't be that stupid then."

* * *

**September 2013**

"So…Shield wants me back full time." Clint spoke up, watching the tables reaction closely.

Bucky, sat across from him, grimaced. Then he turned to his right, where Charlie sat, at the head of the table. She also grimaced, then she shrugged.

"We knew this would happen sooner or later." Charlie reminded herself. She turned to Clint. "As much as we'll miss you here full time, we understand, and we support you fully." Clint nodded.

He knew that was the reaction he'd get, but it was a relief to hear it. Charlie turned to the rest of the table.

The Kirk Empire, as everyone involved in said empire had taken to calling it behind Charlie's back, was expanding beyond Charlie's wildest dreams. (Charlie didn't like the "empire having her name, it was a "group effort," she'd complain, "you can't just put one name on it." Clint was the only one who didn't refer to it as such, he knew that if Bucky had his way very soon the empire would be named something very different.) Seated at the table were those directly involved with the future of the empire…and in Clint's grand opinion, of the world.

Charlie was of course at the head, Bucky to her right. Clint was to her left. Next to Clint sat Ian, a young, red-haired ex-Shield agent who'd become Charlie's assistant and best friend relatively quickly. Mac, Charlie's "Secretary," as he liked to call himself, sat next to Ian, and a new up and coming politician who wanted to do GOOD by the name of Justin Case sat next to Ian. Next to Justin was his daughter, a lawyer by the name of Elizabeth, and next to Elizabeth were two scientists one named Whitney Carlyle, the other being Jane Foster, and then there was a man in a suit who Clint just called "Gibby", because that's what he looked like.

On Bucky's side of the table sat a gruff man in plaid named Bobby, an older gentlemen named Gabe Jones who Clint knew used to be a howling commando, then another Shield agent who'd also gone EX that everyone called Tripp. Agent Ward sat next to Tripp, and then there was Sam Wilson, a friend of Steve's. Next to Sam was Ian's girlfriend and the principle of The Devin Academy, a Madison Crutchfield. Then there was a "suit" who said his name was Ed Tucker and who Clint knew used to be an IAB detective in New York but whom Charlie had stolen to head the SEA department in the FBI. At the other end of the table, directly opposite Charlie, sat Mycroft Holmes, looking for all the world as if HE were the one running the meeting, were it not for the way he and the rest of the table watched Charlie respectively.

"Clint's back at Shield full time then." Charlie addressed the table. "Tripp is still with us full time, he's dealing with security measures for all of our buildings as well as running any needed interference. Any questions, comments, complaints?" She looked to him. Tripp shook his head. "All is good on this front." He promised.

Charlie nodded. "Ward is running double time with Shield and Us, YES, Shield is aware," Charlie shot a look Clint's way, "But we're not broadcasting it. Bucky is part-time with Shield, but only until the RDK center is up and running." She turned to Bucky.

"A few more months." He promised. "The construction is done in February, and Tripp will take it from there. Ideally we start staffing in April and open in May." Bucky shot a sly look Mycroft's way, and he rolled his eyes.

"You are most likely guaranteed Watson's application." He drawled. "The man is driving me batty, and I gladly loose him onto you Americans."

Charlie grinned. "Wonderful." She turned to Mac. "We'll have to begin a program for our hospital employees and send out those feelers." Mac nodded and wrote something down on his notepad.

"Sam. How's the VRP Program looking?"

"Great." Sam beamed. "We are nearly done with planning our two year celebration, and Rogers has agreed to be the key note speaker. The new programs are looking good, although we might need to expand our location base."

"Draw up a proposal, get it to Ian, we'll discuss that at our next individual." Charlie promised. "Jones? How's working there been for you?"

Gabe Jones nodded. "It's been."

Charlie laughed, knowing that's all he'd say. "You make sure you're at that indy meeting," She pointed a finger. "I'll be expecting a three word summary then, alright?" She teased.

Jones smirked, but nodded.

"The Academy just started it's second year. Any complaints?" Charlie asked. Madison straightened.

"None." She smiled. "We're doing great on our end. Our new employees have settled in admirably, and the new students, while wary, are hopeful.

"And our return students?" Charlie asked.

Madison's eyes brightened. "A marked improvement. They understand now that the D.A. isn't going anywhere, and they've become kids again. They'll help the new students realize this as well."

Charlie nodded. "Wonderful. Justin. How goes your campaign?"

Justin Case smirked. "It's a lot less kissing babies and a lot more skateboarding and coffee." He shrugged. "Your strategy is unorthodox," He grinned, "But it's working."

"I would say you're looking at the next president, but my father's head is too big as it is." Elizabeth drawled. "And before you ask, the firm is doing well. The state vs. Winchester case has just recently been dissolved.

"Sam and Dean are free men, then?" Bobby asked. Elizabeth nodded. Bobby turned to send a stink eye to Ed Tucker, who rolled his eyes.

"I still don't understand how asking them to join the SEA division as agents is a logical next step." He muttered, but he nodded grudgingly, and tapped away on his phone.

"They're going to hunt with a real badge or a fake one." Bobby leaned back in satisfaction. "We might as well make it legit."

"Hear, hear!" Charlie grinned. "In other news, Dr.'s Whitney Carlyle and Jane Foster have officially joined the Kirk Institute's board of Directors, and within the next month or so begin looking at potential buildings." Jane and Whitney nodded. "And our newest member of this team, who will be heading the planning and process of erecting an industry to rival Starks, is Dylan Saunders, and his partners, who couldn't make it today, but will be joining us straight from London, thanks Mycroft for sending them our way," Mycroft nodded in acknowledgement, "are Lauren Lopez, Joseph Walker, and Joe Richter." Charlie nodded. "They are beginning this project from scratch, and I look forward to seeing where they take it."

She turned to Ian. "Did I miss anything?" She asked.

Ian shook his head. "You're on top of it today." He smiled.

"Wonderful! This is the shortest meeting we've had in forever." Charlie clapped her hands. "Thank you for coming. Don't forget to schedule your Individual meeting, AKA your Indy's, before you head out. You are dismissed."

Clint smiled as he watched the eclectic group stand, making idle conversation with one another before making their way to Ian, who tapped away on his tablet with a warm smile and then heading over to say farewell to Charlie before heading out. Clint was going to miss this group, their strange camaraderie, and Charlie.

Mostly Charlie, though.

Bucky sighed as he approached Clint.

"She's crazy." He admitted mournfully to the man. "Countless projects, multiple buildings, a huge staff, she's building an empire and she doesn't even realize it because she's too busy trying to save the world, one need at a time."

"And you love her." Clint grinned.

Bucky huffed. "You're not wrong." Then he smirked. "I guess that makes ME crazy too."

"The craziest." Clint agreed.

Bucky laughed. "Don't have too much fun over at Shield, you hear?" Bucky ordered. "You're my sanity."

"And that's just sad." Clint shook his head. "Because I'm the craziest of us all."

Bucky and Clint shared a smile, and Charlie moved to join their small group.

"Did James tell you not to forget us little people?" She asked, smiling.

Clint scoffed. "Are you kidding me? I'm leaving the ocean to make my way back to a puddle. Am I crazy?"

"Yes!" Charlie grinned. "But you're in good company." She added. She pulled the taller man into a hug, which he returned. When she pulled away, her eyes were bright. "Keep in touch." She ordered before Mycroft pulled her away.

Bucky turned to Clint, his smirk small, but heartfelt.

"What she said." He joked. Clint huffed.

"I promise." Clint put a hand over his heart. He turned to where Charlie spoke brightly with the tall British man. "And if I'm honest; I probably won't last very long over there."

Bucky raised a brow, and Clint shrugged. "I'm leaving too much of myself here." He rolled his eyes. "The punk has a way of giving so much of herself that you do the same just to stay in step with her."

Bucky smiled and shrugged.

"That's just her." He explained simply.

"That's just _Charlie_."

* * *

***MUCH TEARS FROM ME.* **

**Ugh I can't believe we're posting Charlie next Friday (May 1st YO!) Soon enough this series will be OVER and I won't know what to do with myself! (Actually May 1st I'm posting the first chapter to two OTHER Fanfics, so I'll be plenty busy, haha.)**

**Keep an eye out for the first three stories of PHASE TWO (all being posted on May 1st):_ Charlie's Terrible Horrible,_ (The final installment of the GLITCH SERIES), _At Risk_ (The GREATLY ANTICIPATED, (at least for me, haha,) sequel to Threats Closer to Home,) and _Caged_ (An Avengers next-gen type Fanfic that is going to be SERIOUSLY AMAZE-BALLS). **

**I am so much in love with all of my readers and the wonderful support and encouragement they've all given me. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! **

**I do this for you. **

**Review/Follow/Favorite if you'd like, but no pressure! **

**See you next fic!**

**Much love, **

**~CLC~**


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